A Party at War

They are beholden to the tyrannical proclivities unleashed by the radical left that has now set up shop in the center of their party politics; the aggressive socialist movements that have captured the heart of academia and the corporate media-entertainment complex, the violent anarchists and the radical racist movements like the Black Panthers and Black Lives Matter (BLM), the vicious Antifia crowd, various organized communists movements (yes, there are a number), and finally, of course, the radical former President, Barack Obama, and his army of community organizers.

What they share is a distinct anti-Americanism and a rabid obsession with the destruction of free markets, Christianity and the very concept of individual liberty, as witnessed by the building frontal attack on free speech and the Bill of Rights generally.

The only problem with this political dynamic is that the country at large usually rejects the product unless hornswoggled by a smooth talking, convincing liar who camouflages their true beliefs and intentions. Americans in the main remain a hardworking, hard playing nation of citizens who want to work and take care of their families, and be left alone.

So, you’d think that this would be the political heyday for Republicans, right? They control a historic two thirds of the state governments and both ends of Congress, and there is a Republican President. What’s not to like?

Alas, the only complication is that the Republican Party is at war – with itself.

The election of President Trump moved the front of that war to the lawn of the White House, as he became the first outsider since Ronald Reagan to take control of the Party and thus the party’s message.

Today’s news brings reports of what most of us have already surmised; the President is under siege by his own party. The professional Republican politicians and swamp critters are in full attack – both their power and their privilege is under assault. From the New York Times, the Washington (Bezos) Post, the Wall Street Journal, among many, come reports and editorials suggesting that the “real” Republican Party consider themselves a “shadow government” to the Trump Administration and present the nation an alternative to “moral ugliness,” by presenting a “humane” vision, and “moral idealism” that has gone untried.

This thinking follows on the colossal failure of its premise demonstrated by presidential candidate Jeb Bush, who famously decided to run a campaign (that spent $100 million for a handful of delegates) that did not rely on those bothersome, cranky “conservative” voters.

It’s all a truckload of bat-craziness. It’s a brand of political childishness that pretends to be tony, sophisticated and relevant, when in actual practice it provides moral ambiguity and political irrelevance.

Many of us have written time and again that the Party gave up on the voters, not the other way around. The American people don’t need moralizing by the very people who have led the country into the mess that it is in currently (see my article Death Comes for the Party, 2016, read here).

That President Trump is a result, not a first cause, seems clear enough. He was the only person on a stage of sixteen others (including my first candidate), willing or able to fight – to stand his ground – verbalize and battle for things that Americans and most Republicans saw as clearly and unarguably going very wrong: a collapsing economic model that discouraged growth and opportunity and advanced government inbreeding and cronyism, the destruction caused by Obamacare, massive trade deals that blatantly went against American self-interest, and open borders and unlimited immigration that undermined national stability and the rule of law.

This party war goes straight to 1988 and the wake of the Reagan Revolution and its roaring success—demonstrating that constitutional conservatism and the so-called “professional” class of moderates and culturally effete Republicans could not really co-exist without the glue of a dynamic, charismatic leader.

One left power and the other moved into the cicada-like exoskeleton and pretended it was “conservatism.”

With a run of exceptionally weak presidential candidates (except for President Bush’s two razor-thin victories) the key indicator that the Republican Party had entered into open warfare with itself was evident after Newt Gingrich lost his grip on the Speakership of the House in 1999. The Party lurched from the activist model of the “Contract with America,” to the passive “Contract with the Chamber of Commerce” model that refocused attention away from ideas to maintaining the status quo, appeasing major donors, and attempting to placate the radicalized media, entertainment and Hollywood culture, itself anathema to so much of the voting public.

Finally, the eight years of the Obama Presidency – the most radical since Woodrow Wilson and which began an aggressive and unconstitutional transformation of the country – there could be no doubt that the party war had produced an enfeebled Republican Party that could not even mount a cogent verbal, much less legislative, counter attack.

By 2010, a terrified middle class revolted, followed by 2014 when the American public did everything they could to give Republicans the opportunity for stand tall for the besieged national interest. It didn’t work.

Now, as famed Professor Angelo Codevilla writes in Replacing the Republican Party (read here), we don’t need a third party, we already have a co-joined UniParty – we need a real second party.

“The Republican Party’s [recent] successes,” Professor Codevilla writes, [are] due to the American people’s desire not to be governed by a ruling class, headed by the Democratic Party.”

The elections of 2010 and 2014 were elections where hope overcame experience.

Over and over again, with limited exceptions, the Party at the national level (and too often at the state level) refuses to fight for the very ideas and the very causes that they were elected to champion. Even where there is a clear public consensus, more often than not, the Party professionals are more interested in being trendy, not right.

This, after all, is a Party that time and again cannot even manage to cut off federal funding of the nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, eliminate the radical left’s taxpayer subsidized Public Broadcasting System, or stand up for allowing little girls and little boys to use separate bathrooms.

Why would we expect them to fight for anything larger, like the Presidency?

Michael Giere has written extensively on politics, foreign policy, and issues of faith. He is a former candidate for the US House; worked for Ronald Reagan in 76 & 80; and served in both the Reagan and Bush (41) Administrations. He served on the RPV State Central Committee from 2008-12.

It is always more fun to snipe from the outside than produce from the inside. Thus you get the current fish out of water Ryan and McConnell. Neither one want to enforce party discipline on their members – it is far easier to shoot barbs at Trump. A new crop of tough disciplined conservatives is needed in a hurry.

Mac Swinford

Much as this web site does not enforce discipline upon its members. I recommended differently yesterday. A strong-handed moderator is essential for good discussion and discourse.

Warmac9999

Well, you refused to do it and nominated Jeanine. She is moderating in a manner that is appropriate for moderation. What you want is a judge to magically wave away debate that you don’t like.

Mac Swinford

“What I like” is not my standard for good moderation. Indeed, I proposed a standard and observed I would be fine if she axed me. Why do you snidely suggest I wrote anything different?

Warmac9999

You are the one who raised the issue, not me. I am perfectly happy to debate with one clear exception – that is when threats are directed at me or anyone else. Mr. Kane did exactly that and, accordingly, I will not comment on anything he says.

Mac Swinford

My eye is keen towards threats and I neither observed such a threat nor can I find one now. Please point me towards a threat he made to you.

Warmac9999

I am not going to search his comments, but he specifically mentioned legal action in a post a few days ago and it was directed at me. Now, I don’t care if you believe or not. The point is I saw the threat, it was directed at me, and I have now chosen never to respond to anything Mr. Kane writes. It would not surprise me if Jeanine didn’t take a look, per your moderator comment, and decide he was out of line.

Mac Swinford

Found it. Not a threat by any means. Indeed, the law as a response is never a threat — it is a sane response to a perceived legal breach, the alternative to illegal threats, to force. Indeed, it appears he believes you libeled or slandered him, which paints the opposite picture you paint here, and at most he observed that the process itself would unmask you, ala Bryce Reeves. I declare your claim of a threat FALSE from my POV, and at most could be considered a very legal threat of the type that is not at all in the category of a wrong inflicted upon you, and quite the contrary a claim that you wronged him. In other words, a wash.

Warmac9999

I think you miss a rather crucial point. It isn’t whether you consider it a threat or not. It is what I consider a threat. My choice is to ignore the person venturing the threat.

Mac Swinford

That point is not lost on me. Like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, when you use a word, you mean what you mean it to mean. Amy made the same claim. As I wrote her, no rational dialogue can occur under such circumstances.

Michael Keith Blankenship

I would just ignore Kane.

Mac Swinford

BTW, neither does it appear Jeanine found it out of line because he is posting here today. More likely she might find you out of line, but that is her call of course, as I observed yesterday (despite your attempts to foist the task of moderation upon me).

Warmac9999

An arbiter is not a moderator.

Hot Air

Don’t feed the trolls Warmac 😀

Warmac9999

It takes a little while to scope them out as I tend to follow Reagan’s trust but verify. However, I completely agree with you as they have nothing to offer.

Mac Swinford

What you mean to say is that you disagree with them. You must also disagree with others who upvote their comments and write here that they both get the message and agree with it. Nothing to offer? Either the moderator agrees and tosses them or it is you that is falsely diminishing their voices and efforts. All to the point of this opinion piece: The Republican Party is a party at war. You are simply one more combatant.

Warmac9999

I don’t mind thoughtful disagreement as that is what these comment boards are about. You will note that while I disagree with you on most issues, I do not refuse to discuss issue with you as, at this point, you are not a troll.

Mac Swinford

Again, I ask you: What threat did Kane direct towards you? Please point me towards it or quote it here. Was it public? Was it private?

T Kane

How do you propose they “enforce party discipline on their members”?

Another question: How might their members enforce party discipline on Trump?

Or do you suggest Trump the leader of the Republican Party? If so, on what basis might you make that claim?

Finally, what might a “new crop of tough disciplined conservatives” look like? Please, tell me they aren’t going to emerge from here, undisciplined as it appears to my eye.

ameri…canwork

Party discipline for me would be for the RPV not to back Senator Bill DeSteph for reelection for that obstruction of justice bill SB483, As the Tidewater Builders Association Director he used his seat to
make it illegal for Inter-Departmental Communication of illegal Commerce.
That was major league BS!!!

ameri…canwork

How about a “Joe the Plumber” moment?
Go to the Buena Vista Labor day Parade ( kicks off the election season).
I stand on the curb in my USMC ball cap, my support the troops shirt.
Gillespie walks up, shakes my hand, I secure his hand with my other
( like Clinton used to do) and say
Mr.Gillespie , I love you , Va needs you, how come you are going to let job redistribution to illegal aliens happen as unlicensed contractors? Right in front of all the cameras and the G_d fearing folks of Botetourt County.

ameri…canwork

I believe there is no moral or patriotic duty.

Warmac9999

The founders would have utterly disagreed with you. Take a good look at the Bill of Rights. Freedom of Religion was considered essential to building a moral citizenry. Without a patriotic duty there is no country – thus you get the great grey and evil socialist world that is now the EU.

ameri…canwork

So you know what a dead man of 200 years thinks in today’s America.
Being that I live at Thomas Jeffersons Poplar Forest I would love to sit down with him today and ask;
Thomas I believe my freedom comes from G_d and today as a Civilized society we come together and write law , with 3 branches of Goverment for checks and balances.
And now we have elected officials keeping law breakers from being charged by Administrative actions and having their day in court or being heard before the people for their crimes against the laws in the Civilized Society.
Thomas are these deceitful actions the actions of a Patriot? , a Christian? or just a mere sinner posed as a G_d fearing man? Thomas why won’t Delegate Byron and Senator Newman get off their butts and do something about all the illegal Commerce in Lynchburg? Thomas we have that wonderful Christian college (LU) in town that all the Republicans come and speak at come election time and speak of the rule of law yet lack the desire to do something about it not being enforced.
Well,
Warmacc999
What the hell is so Patriotic about letting MS-13 invade your Community?
The act of letting illegal aliens perform illegal Commerce in your Community is in NO WAY CHRISTIAN, That is Jebs¡ act of love.

Warmac9999

You do realize that founders is plural, and that most of them were religious leaders as well as secular leaders. As far as MS-13, or for that matter antifa, I find nothing patriotic about either organization or people who condone them. Not only is it unpatriotic but unchristian as well to allow such an invasion. It is evil and satanic.

Mac Swinford

It is madness to assert others condone antifa or MS13. Law-breaking is law breaking. It should be prosecuted. At most the question is priorities.

Both are problems more federal in nature, whether because it is an immigration question or because it is claimed the US and its constitution are at stake, not to mention free speech rights. Indeed, it is now clear DHS and a federal judge both made and predicted this mess. Where then was Jeff Sessions and the FBI?

Are those who claim antifa is a state/local problem condoning antifa? Certainly more so than those who would escalate it to the federal level, where there is no parole and prosecutions through the rocket docket of Eastern Virginia are swift and assured. Federal time is hard time and sentencing can be far tougher. The resources available are significant by comparison to state and local.

It is stranger still that those who assert state/local primacy over the offenses charge those who raise the federal nature of the crimes as silent in their assent when in fact the opposite is unquestionably true. Such is the nature of the TBE crowd at times — often wrong, never in doubt.

ameri…canwork

In response to the last line I humbly say I put my foot in my mouth all the time.
I try my best not to be a jack of all trades but a master of one. I still hold personal views on some of the other issues ( alcohol privatization , education, much more).
Yes,
I agree the FBI should have had this in their sights even more probably at the forefront with prophylactic measures, maybe those noise makers
now placed on ships after the USS Cole or water canons, it would have been nice to see some of those bozos get their pants pounder off of them with all the water pressure.
And if I acted like those fools I would not have expected anything less out of law enforcement.

Warmac9999

Your first sentence is wrong on its face. There are numerous incidents of police giving way while antifa rampages. The situation is so bad that Pelosi found it necessary to call off her pit bulls.

Mac Swinford

Not wrong on its face at all. Police giving way is an exercise of their discretion, not evidence that they condone the acts they observe while exercising that discretion.

I do not condone law-breaking, yet I understand the need to balance enforcement with practicality. Indeed, the police and govt did not want the rally held at all once it became clear it might be difficult or impossible to control. They were compelled to permit this rally by a federal judge.

In fact, in few other places if any would those rallying be permitted to carry wooden sticks, let alone firearms. DC? NY? MD? No, no, no. And definitely not rifles.

If there are numerous similar incidents, the true failure was on the part of the FBI/DHS to warn and compel from the federal level but fail to attend the rally at all. I can see the other side of this — that it is state/local — but that side of the argument contradicts your claims: That they are long-established, well-organized, well-financed, well-known threat to the US and its constitution. If you are right, it is federal, for those and other reasons. If you are wrong it is simple assault on a state/local level.

As for assigning blame, Jeanine deliberately left out of her report from Politico the
quote from Politico about the DHS warning: “One ‘probable’ white supremacist, it said, has posted an online ‘call to arms’ saying ‘antifa must be destroyed.'”

There were plenty of personnel to control Antifa and the permitted protesters. In fact, the permitted protesters at Emancipation Park were easy to control. The problem is that the officers were so poorly deployed.

Mac Swinford

The goal of the permit process was to separate them. A federal judge changed the location without federal follow-up to ensure the order was peacefully followed. Who kept the feds from doing the job they undertook? DHS warning, DHS-declared terrorists, federal order, federal rights at stake — but no feds?

Michael Keith Blankenship

The City should not have engaged in viewpoint discrimination in the first place. The CPD should have deployed assisting agencies such as VSP along Market Street to keep the neonutzis and neocommies separate. It is apparent from the recorded livestrams that I have watched that this was not done. The City had to know that Emancipation Park and its immediate environs would be the focus. If there were over 300 Troopers there, the failure to deploy them along Market and adjacent streets makes no sense. With that many VSP, plus National Guard, many blocks could have been easily secured. The colossal virtue-signal of pushing Spencer, et. al. out of the park came at the cost of securing the streets.

Mac Swinford

BTW, easy to control? Demonstrably false. Did they stop killing and maiming? Firing a gun into the crowd? No, they did not. They moved outside the permitted space.

Michael Keith Blankenship

i only saw one Klan guy fire a shot at a man wielding an improvised flamethrower. The League, NSM, etc. were squeezed out of the park and into the Antifa and others. This was a stupid move as it did not serve to separate warring factions. All this is quite clear on the recorded livestreams I have watched. The neonutzis were ordered to leave the permitted space and had to fight their way out. Stupid “plan”.

Warmac9999

I agree with the control of the protestors. But it remains to be seen regarding deployment or specific orders.

Mac Swinford

And they ignored the rally knowing it was attended by a domestic terrorist organization? Who issued them a stand down order? Why don’t the feds do their jobs when federal issues are at stake?

Michael Keith Blankenship

Mac, I am going to post some recorded livestreams of 8/12. I do not wish to irritate you by posting them as replies. If you would find this irritating, I will simply make these as part of a post of my own. Let me know. Thanks!

Warmac9999

From what I have read so far, this DHS declaration occurred within the past week or so and is likely tied to what happened in Berkeley as the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Michael Keith Blankenship

The police do exercise discretion. However, what has happened at these demos borders on misfeasance or nonfeasance. No official may engage in either under Virginia law.

Mac Swinford

Where were the feds? A DHS-declared terrorist organization and no DHS? No FBI?

Michael Keith Blankenship

Michael Keith Blankenship

Did you see any of the militia types engaging in any criminal conduct? I have found none in any of the recorded livestreams I have watched.

Mac Swinford

I did not undertake monitoring nor have I access to comprehensive records. I did see an alleged Klansman shoot a handgun into the crowd. I did see an avowed white nationalist kill and maim. I did see people marching with torches, chanting about Jews.

Another key observation through my eyes: There were not two groups, one for, the other against. They were a number of factions in the counter-demonstration, each of them a subset. There were some people dressed in black, there were some dressed like BLM, and there were lots of observers who did not appear to fit in with these other two subsets, some of them apparently clergy. The dead young woman, for example, was a Virginian and not with the other groups.

Michael Keith Blankenship

There were two larger hostile groupings 1) neonutzis consisting of NSM, LOS, Spencerites, Identity Evropa, KKK, etc. 2) BLM, Antifa, Wobblies etc. The leftist clergy, assorted other leftist groups and III% Militias (and other militia) were all peaceful, so I do not include them as among the belligerents.

i have found no evidence that Ms. Heyer was Antifa, a neonutzi or anything of the sort. Even if she had been,her death would be tragic. The failure to secure Water Street had horrible consequences.

Warmac9999

One of the reason for carrying a gun is to reduce the probability of mass assault. When one side thinks that they can escape danger because the other side is unarmed, then they will attack. This was the case recently in Berkeley where the antifa beat a small bunch of unarmed prayer protestors bloody while the cops just stood around.

As far as knowledge of antifa, the Obama administration and their complaint media gave these violent people a pass because they were assaulting Republicans, conservatives and Trump supporters around the country. Antifa USA is a product of their European parents and has only gained traction in the USA over the past decade. Their excuse has been that they are violently attacking neo-nazis but they have generally included any Republican or conservative gathering in that excuse.

By the way, your comment about not being allowed to carry wooden sticks doesn’t pass the California or, for that matter the DC test during inauguration. The available video is testimony to the weapons they were carrying or wearing – and freely using. (The Starbucks in DC that had its store front bashed in while people cowered in the background is one I have visited on numerous occasions and it is usually quite busy. Antifa didn’t give a damn about what they damaged or who they hurt.)

Antifa is a problem of government at all levels as the Charlottesville clearly showed. The local government tried to suppress free speech and the courts ruled that was unconstitutional. The locals and the state failed to bring in sufficient police to control the situation and also failed to request national guard help (when it was actually on site).

ameri…canwork

Ok,
So I am sitting on the steps
of a apartment unit in Germantown (section 8) Quincy Massachusetts.
I ask John Adams the same questions but now I add who the hell do those Virginians think they are allowing illegal aliens to violate their own labor laws
place their own citizens on unemployment and the rest of the country has to pitch in with our tax dollars to provide them with Federal Unemployment funding.
Let’s move on to Philly.
Thank you Mr. Franklin,
You went to France to obtain finding for the American Revolution you could have easily turned your back on us and went to Mexico. We are so fortunate that you were not a Globalist. Hey Ben do you think that those nit wits down in Va should be allowed to hide Federal Law breakers within their labor force and then call it a free market principle.
Warmacc9999,
Do you get it now. Those elected swine fenced their own slimely selves in with their own laws.
I do not look at them as illegal aliens, they are illegal bussines owners and illegal employers.
Back to Thomas.
Thomas can you believe I questioned DPOR about not renewing my Contractors license.
I ask; Can I not renew my Contractors license, keep my S-Corp status and let the VEC classify me as a bona-fide independent contractor?
They said No!
Yet the VEC Auditor On Odd Fellows Rd , the 23rd District of Senator Newman does this on a regular basis, he’ll he even passes out pamphlets on qualifications for independent contractors.
This auditor accepts a bussines card , listing in the phone book as validation yet he refuses to the the DPOR website.
Thomas how come State law does not apply to illegal aliens as unlicensed Contractors? How come their General Contractor does not have to be compliant with Va. laws?

Jack

Well absolutely and the problems in individual states. Virginia Republican Party is a prime example of dysfunctional. The party of Richmond sits upon their throne and do not want to hear what the peasants and “common” folks are saying. Instead they listen to the old party leaders in Washington even locally and totally flush state wide elections as a result of stopped up ears and “knowing what is best”. How could any Virginian support Kaine as an example. He loves to give away YOUR money and your freedoms and I might add history too. But while we are busy shooting ourselves in the foot the liberals march on because they have the message of FREE everything and Richmond hides under the desk as it is just the rednecks, hillbillys and Confederate lovers fouling up their domain. They are to dumb and uneducated to know better so they need our superior advice. Not much is going to get much better until we clean house in the VRP.

BIGron

As always, your insight is spot on! I wish some of the others posting articles on this site could be as observant. Their lack of awareness is deplorable.

Thank you for this. It is why I came here to research. Republicans have met the enemy, and it is us.

Chris k

So this site decided to publish a piece about how bad Republicans are at government? That seeems a little counterproductive for this little slice of the internet.

Mac Swinford

It’s progress. You cannot address your issues until you admit you have them.

Chris k

It offers no solutions so it reads more like taking a poop on Republicans.

Mac Swinford

Solutions we can get to down the road. Admitting there is an issue is a start, and especially important that the admission correctly target the party’s internal division. This does that, so I call it progress.

David Dickinson

Mr. Giere normally has a smoother conclusion. I’m going to guess this was a longer piece that got cut in half for publishing purposes, or it is one of a series. Time will tell.

Edward N Virginia

Quote
This, after all, is a Party that time and again cannot even manage to … stand up for allowing little girls and little boys to use separate bathrooms.
Unquote

SEE!? You’ve ended the otherwise interested and compelling piece with A PROBLEM for a 21st century political party!

In NC the REPUBLICANS were not legislating to ‘stand up for little girls and boys’ – with their POLICE SHOULD RAPE DOWN YOUR UNDERWEAR TO SEE YOUR JUNK bill – they were doing what the inflammatory comment we just made implies: a bill that COERCIVELY HARRASSED AND THREATENED little boys and their parents to use the girls rest room because that boy still had a vagina and COERCIVELY HARRASSED AND THREATENED little girls and their parents to use the boys rest room because that girl still had a penis.

A 21st century movement cannot make a case through coercion, unless it intends to be AUTHORITARIAN.

And, btw, that is what happened: Republicans were convinced by an NARCISSISTIC REVENGE-FUL AUTHORITARIAN.

AmyH

Boys do not have vaginas, Edward. Nor do girls have penises.

Hot Air

… and X and Y chromosomes are a thing.

It’s like science and stuff.

Warmac9999

The problem is we have to state the obvious to confront the dishonesty, and then get called bigots for doing so. No wonder democrats are in trouble. They think psychopathic and sociopathic behavior sells.

T Kane

And, hey, those “psychopathic and socipathic” folks outnumber Republicans in Virginia. Their number two candidate in the primary outpolled every Republican.

“No wonder democrats are in trouble”? What then does this say about Virginia’s Republican party? When did Republicans last win a statewide election?

Please, no discussion of dishonesty here. It’s embarrassing to bring up McDonnell.

Michael Keith Blankenship

I do hope the Dems continue running on such bizarre issues as “transgenderism”. It is a loser, and demonstrates that they have become truly a coalition of the fringes.

Edward N Virginia

More BS AUTHORITARIAN CONFORMITY COERCION.

According to your rubric of archaic definitions:

a. human beings have two arms, two legs, two eyes, two ears, to hands, two feet, etc

So, multitudes of wounded in war, accidents, injuries, and disease – without limbs, with an eye or both eyes, etc ARE NOT HUMAN

b. women wear dresses and skirts and men where pants

So, multitudes of human persons with vaginas who were pants are ‘men’

c. Republicans do not speak ill of Reagan, Lincoln, or other Republican Presidents

So, Trump is not a Republican

etc

AmyH

Edward chill out. Reality is what reality is and no amount of tantruming is going to change that. Sex==gender and sex is determined by DNA. In the vast, vast, VAST majority of people, DNA, inward sexual organs and outward sexual organs match. There are very rare birth defects that affect about .006% of the population (about 12,000 people nationwide) where these things do not match. Such congenital birth defects, like chimerism and hermaphroditism, DO NOT define sex anymore than people being born without limbs means that saying people are bipedal is wrong. Birth defects are called birth defects for a reason… they are a defective presentation of the human form.

But that does not address at all what you are speaking of which is people who believe they are the opposite sex despite all evidence to the contrary. Such people have a mental illness called gender dysphoria. Such people are delusional and neither society or those mentally ill people are helped by the rest of us joining in their delusion.

Monkey Trial

I’m curious who ends up “certifying” someone as transgender. Being transgender is, or soon will be, something that gives perks in society. So … what’s to keep a guy from declaring that he actually self-identifies as a woman, but wears men’s clothes and passes himself off as a man, because of discrimination against transgenders, so that he can get those perks. It’s not like people wouldn’t do crap like that. I mean look how many perfectly health people are on disability, use handicap parking, get special advantage in business by having their wives own them, etc. If transgenderism is “all in your head”, then it’s impossible to actually figure out what someone’s sex is, so there goes all the myriad benefits that women have been able to get for themselves in society, as an example, because with a word any man can declare themselves to be women.

AmyH

You are correct… for instance, the Olympic Committee has announced that “transgender” males and females can compete in the next summer Olympics in categories dictated by their delusion (or pretend delusion). I expect that there will be some outrage when men win not only all of the medals set aside for men but a goodly portion of the ones set aside for women too.

Monkey Trial

… and what about all the creepy ass men who start prowling women’s bathroom, public showers, etc, under the guise of being “transgendered”. This is always sold as some innocent sweet guy who has always known deep inside that he was a woman … but do women really want to live in a world where anybody can wander into their bathroom anytime then feel like it ? Dudes creepying around bathrooms with cameras isn’t something most women want.

T Kane

Nor women in the men’s room! They might learn our secret handshake.

Bathroom politics. Much better issue than whatever else Republicans are trying. Go for it! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s been working so well everywhere else, and — don’t worry — enforcing this isn’t creepy at all. Drop your draws, it’s the bathroom police!

Monkey Trial

“They might learn our secret handshake.”

Knock that off, you know the first rule of fight club …

T Kane

What’s that rule? Don’t post the day you join Disqus? I don’t believe in that rule — I think it’s nutty — but those you were in dialogue apparently do, as they confronted me with it when I first came here in an attempt to discredit me with ad hominem attack. Has nothing to do with the issues you raise nor the argument you make, so I say “Welcome to Fight Club, Monkey Trial!”

Monkey Trial

You’ve seriously never seen fight club ? Why doesn’t that surprise me.

T Kane

Oh, I’ve seen Fight Club. The rules have nothing to do with secret handshakes. As regards the hostility shown to recent arrivals, not my thing. That’s dished out by others. I simply offered the heads up. When they see you just arrived, like within the past hour, they assume … well, it’s crazy. Don’t ask me to explain it, but she — oops, I have no idea what gender it claims — pulled it on me and others. I agree with you! What better time to comment?

On the other hand, in a very literal way, bathroom politics isn’t worth the fight for anyone. Who cares where people do their thing? I mind my own business in the bathroom and could not care less what’s in someone’s pants. It’s what’s in their head that intrigues me.

Monkey Trial

You are dense as hell dude

You make a joke about secret handshakes, I joke back with a fight club meme .. and you’re acting like we’re on the freaking debate club. Calm down Clarence, there will still be plenty of pink cat hats at the rally for you …

Why do you write a guy that blocks you? Why do you offer non-proof, simply a location? If more abuse happens in pools, parks, bedrooms, whatever, are they at issue, too? Weird. Desperate.

AmyH

You saw the link didn’t you? As did everyone else.

T Kane

Also, a warning: I could not possibly care less, but there are people here who complain about those who have a profile that’s seven hours old or so. I won’t name them, but they howl about it. They might give you a pass, though.

Michael Keith Blankenship

In their zeal to destroy “white male patriarchy”, the zealots will have destroyed women’s sports. Horrible.

Dictated by strictly monitored testosterone levels accompanied by enhanced doping tests. “Total testosterone must remain below 10 nmol/L troughout the period of desired eligibility.” And this declaration must be made consistently four years in advance.

Michael Keith Blankenship

It will ruin women’s sports, but as Uncle Joe is supposed to have said, eggs must be broken to further the revolution.

Mac Swinford

Evidence?

Michael Keith Blankenship

None claimed, it is a prediction.

Mac Swinford

I repeat: ““Together these changes lead to a loss of speed, strength and endurance —
all key components of athleticism,” the study’s author, Joanna Harper
wrote in The Washington Post. Harper, who is chief medical physicist at
Oregon’s Providence Portland Medical Center, a trans athlete and a
participant in the IOC meeting that overhauled the trans guidelines,
explained to me that “it’s not the anatomy that matters, it’s the
hormones.” After a year of hormone therapy, for example, female trans
distance runners completely lose their speed advantage over cisgender women.”

Michael Keith Blankenship

Again, I will wait and see. I am not convinced by the statements of a trans athlete or a study by anyone with a bias. I predict that trans athletes will outperform biological women consistently in many events.

Mac Swinford

And yet there are relatively unsuccessful “trans gendered” pro athletes and none that are extremely successful worldwide. Why predict when we have history as a guide?

Is 4 years enough to overcome the advantage of a lifetime of much higher testosterone?

Mac Swinford

The first-ever study of transgender athletes showed that the hormone therapy that facilitates male-to-female transition does more than just suppress testosterone. Published last year in the Journal of Sporting Cultures and Identities, the study showed that as testosterone levels approach female norms, trans women experience a decrease in muscle mass, bone density and other physical characteristics.

“Together these changes lead to a loss of speed, strength and endurance — all key components of athleticism,” the study’s author, Joanna Harper wrote in The Washington Post. Harper, who is chief medical physicist at Oregon’s Providence Portland Medical Center, a trans athlete and a participant in the IOC meeting that overhauled the trans guidelines, explained to me that “it’s not the anatomy that matters, it’s the hormones.” After a year of hormone therapy, for example, female trans
distance runners completely lose their speed advantage over cisgender women.

You offer no evidence Jenner meets the 10 noml/L testosterone over the period of time needed, nor is he/she a competing athlete. In addition, your claims are contradicted by leading experts in the field.

AmyH

Mac… you seem to be using a bizarro world definition of “incorrect” that means “accurate”. You also continue to be an ass who is incapable of of answering any of my posts civilly. None of the information in your post makes my “incorrect”.

Mac Swinford

Your crazy thinking on display here, not mine. Everyone will draw their own conclusion based on evidence presented. If my opinion is that you are incorrect I will continue to write the word incorrect. In the example here, your claim that self-designation is the standard employed for the Olympics is simply incorrect. It is quantitative analysis, not qualitative declaration. If you think my answers uncivil I am not surprised because it is the manner you’ve displayed here since I first encountered you interacting with me and others.

AmyH

My claim of self designation is not incorrect as YOU say they have to self designate for at least four years before. That you also say that the Olympic committees rules also have a hormone testing requirement does not make my claim incorrect.

Mac Swinford

it completely negates your point. Their word must be consistent over a long period of time and matched by quantitative testing. No one who read your original claim here would agree it matches the truth, which is that you cannot simply change your mind and you must display after extensive testing the ultra-low testosterone levels of a woman.

AmyH

So now you are speaking for all of the TBE posters? I don’t think so.

“Their word must be consistent over a long period of time” is not negated by the “and testing” part. Mentally ill people normally are very persistent about their delusions and men who are pretending to be mentally ill to be able to compete in women’s sports of any kind are likely to be pretty persistent in their claims too.

Mac Swinford

There are none so blind as those who will not see. I do not pretend to speak for anyone but myself, but I believe a straight up comparison of the differences will survive scrutiny here.

The standard is quantitative, not qualitative, not based solely on their word. They undergo more extensive testing and their testosterone level must be consistently ultra-low, 10 noml/L or lower at all eligible times.

Just as I offer my dialogue and discourse with MKB as proof of civility. He could negate that if he chooses — he speaks for himself — but his actual behavior speaks louder. I will be surprised if he does not enjoy our discourse as much as I obviously do.

Michael Keith Blankenship

i will say that AmyH gets treated a little rougher than she should be. But you and I have kept it civil. I actually prefer that approach. One can learn a lot from discussing things that way, without being in total agreement.

AmyH

I challenge you to find any post where I claimed that anything was based solely on their word.

Go ahead, we will wait here.

Michael Keith Blankenship

The bottom line for me is that “born that way” has never been proven. We should err on the side of caution when administering drugs or hormones to children.

AmyH

I agree. I have seen no evidence that people who do not have a legitimate birth defect but still persistently believe they are not the correct sex are anything but mentally ill. Just as it would be wrong (and counterproductive to their recovery) to cosign on an anorexic’s belief that they are fat, I believe it is wrong and counterproductive to feed into the delusions of someone with gender dysphoria. Suicide rates for individuals who were “treated” with hormones and surgery to allow their physical appearance to attempt to mimic their their image of themselves in their delusion indicate that we are harming sick people by allowing treatment to go that way instead of treating people psychiatricly to get them to see the reality of their own bodies.

And I think it is flat out child abuse to subject children to hormones that permanently sterilize them and have long term effects… like increased chances of having cancer… that could shorten their lives.

Michael Keith Blankenship

I see some odd persistent delusions when I handle Commitment Appeals. Often these have a sexual component.

This is a much better topic than boring, boring, boring taxes, health care, Russian and so on. I mean, hey, who needs monuments when you can nitpick about people like Jamie Lee Curtis?

Winner issue, be sure to devote time, attention and resources to it! The Governor’s job is just a couple months away. Give a Monkey a try!

Monkey Trial

They are perks, how could you believe otherwise ? Having special parking privileges that let you park in the first row of spots at the store, that’s a perk. I’m not saying it isn’t a wonderful idea and that it helps people who are disabled, but it is what it is … a special advantage. Don’t conflate the two.

If you get an advantage based on your identity, you are getting preferential treatment. Is it justified ? That’s politics. But the fact that it is preferential treatment is just basic undeniable reality.

T Kane

What advantages do they get? I know none and I am inclined to believe in General Mattis, who strikes me as an outstanding leader. He immediately suspended Trump’s military order to ban the transgendered. Jamie Lee Curtis, for example, offends me not at all and I do not care at all which bathroom she chooses. In my travels I’ve encountered many a gender-shared bathroom facility and consider it unremarkable.

As an issue, though, it’s a loser. People vote with their pocketbook. It’s the economy … well, I won’t complete the phrase, as I have no idea if you are stupid or not, but it was a good quote as it relates to elections.

Monkey Trial

I totally agree its a loser, that’s why its so bizarre that the Democrats championed it through the Clinton campaign. Identity politics doesn’t win elections, but that’s basically her entire platform.

Hopefully Democrats will have a real platform in the next election, one that reaches out to working people. You might think I’m being disingenuous by saying that but I really do believe that two parties arguing over actual issues is better for everyone.

T Kane

We’re not here to discuss Democrats. Leave them to their own discussions elsewhere. We’re hear to talk about Republicans, elephants, doncha know? I didn’t vote for Clinton and would not care if I never heard the name again.

Michael Keith Blankenship

You do not have the authority to limit the parameters of discussion, Mr. Kane.

Mac Swinford

I doubt sincerely that he can read your comment since he wrote that he blocked you and gave you a clear no contact order that I read here.

Neither did I read his comment as an attempt to limit the parameters of discussion. It read as very similar to other comments I’ve read here along the same lines.

Per your comment, neither do you have the authority to define the parameters of discussion. That would be up to the moderator. who — as I observed the other day — moderates with a very light hand. I encouraged a firmer hand, but as others observed they prefer almost no moderation at all.

Michael Keith Blankenship

I do not have to follow any orders but the mods. Mr. Kane seems to think otherwise, whoever he is.

AmyH

Commenters are not allowed to issue no contact orders. And T Kane’s comment very clearly is trying to limit discussion.

If Mattis is directly ordered to implement a policy by the CIC, he must do so. He works for Trump. The fact that a “study” is being conducted as to Trump’s announced policy does not change the fact that Mattis is subordinate to Trump. Similarly, any service member who defies a direct order from the CIC is subject to discipline, relief of command, etc. The alleged “suspension” is merely Trump’s agreement to permit this study to be completed before he orders the policy to be implemented. BTW, I am so glad that fancypants Ashe Carter and and Eric Fanning are gone.

Mac Swinford

I like General Mattis and concur with his decision to suspend Trump’s order for whatever reason, which starts with study. Mattis is indeed subordinate to Trump, but DJT has now earned disrespect from good Republicans at every level of government.

Why study that which is ordered and decided? Therein lies the point: It is grandstanding, not good operational policy, thus the exception for study, which no doubt Mattis insisted upon.

Michael Keith Blankenship

The study is a fig leaf, I suppose.

Mac Swinford

Indeed. Clearly so. What are they studying after all this time? Do you have doubts that benefit from more study? I doubt it.

Michael Keith Blankenship

Perhaps determining how to deal with VA benefits when these SMs are discharged requires some study, but other than that is seems to be a fig leaf.

Mac Swinford

Actually not. The application to currently serving troops is the issue, not benefits. Mattis does not want to lose good people and this silly order would have such an effect.

Michael Keith Blankenship

Then it is purely a fig leaf for Trump. The article does state that part of the study concerns medical costs of such SMs. I wonder how much it does cost. Is this cost outweighed by an increased ability to kill the enemy, destroy his property and come home alive?

Edward N Virginia

See there, once again you did it! ‘IT’ being authoritarian coercion!

…. by CREATING a publc policy platform that “‘people AND SOCIETY are NOT helped by …”

people with gender dysphoria
people with birth defects
people with missing limb(s) or eye(s) or eye(s) from war, industrial of other accident, injuries or disease

WITH THAT PUBLIC POLICY PLATFORM what bans, prohibitions, impediments, restrictions, barriers would you advise?

How about genetic testing and elimination of unborn infants with such? Countries do that. How about here?

How about segregation in special ‘schools’ (like the 19th and 20th century ‘schools’ for Native American children who are widely sexually abused) or the ‘institutes’ in Virginia were Virginia law ‘put’ children and adults that societies didn’t like, were considered ‘troublesome’, etc)?

How about taking them from families and communities – under force of law – ‘putting’ them in ‘colonies’ as 20th century Virginia law did with adults and children that communities didn’t like, thousands of whom were coerced into un-needed, un-wanted surgeries to sterilize them?

And do we need to remind of the ‘cleansing’ of ‘degenerates’ who were called ‘harmful to society’ …. not that long ago …. in Turkey (of the Christian Armenians), in Europe, in Cambodia, in Soviet Union, in Rwanda, …. and perhaps as we speak in other countries.

You see, A REAL HISTORY harming REAL PEOPLE in LIVING MEMORY matters when you declare public policy platforms that DEFINE categories of people the ‘do not help’ …. without achieving a full sustained inclusive conversation about what that means? YOU HAVE NOT achieved such a full sustained inclusive conversation. DO THAT FIRST.

AmyH

Society is not here to help people persist in their mental illness.

Mac Swinford

We should all be so “mentally ill” as Jamie Lee Curtis or Ann Coulter. Well, Jamie Lee Curtis.

AmyH

You have no basis to bring either of those women into this discussion.

Monkey Trial

“Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in thinking, emotion or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.” – American Psychiatric Association.

“The prevalence of suicide attempts among respondents to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Center for Transgender Equality, is 41 percent, which vastly exceeds the 4.6 percent of the overall U.S. population who report a lifetime suicide attempt, and is also higher than the 10-20 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual adults who report ever attempting suicide.” – American Foundation of Suicide Prevention

Edward N Virginia

WOW. Amy ‘Death Panel’ SPEAKS!

Mac Swinford

As is pointed out here elsewhere, Jamie Lee Curtis is xy but considered female. By all accounts, he/she has a surgically-created vulva and not a penis. Numerous other examples of similar surgical assignment at birth or in childhood.

The “tantruming” seems to be on your part.

Michael Keith Blankenship

Klinefelter’s, Turner’s and other syndromes are exceedingly rare, and are not chosen by the people who suffer from them. What is your source on Curtis’ genitalia? I have never heard of this before.

Mac Swinford

Or just ask Ann Coulter about her Adam’s Apple and huge hands.

Michael Keith Blankenship

Is she a transgender?

Mac Swinford

I am no biologist — this is outside my pay grade — but reading on the topic strongly suggests these two are on a list that includes many others. Much more frequent than reported, far more frequent than Amy’s confused math above.

More importantly: I do not care at all. I draw nothing negative or positive about it. I care only about what’s between their ears. I will happily share a bathroom with any of them or anyone, regardless of gender (chromosomal or perceived).

Michael Keith Blankenship

I prefer single-sitters. I had enough of communal showering and and defecating in the Army

Mac Swinford

I share your preference and habits, but ultimately I do not care. I’ve visited many a place with dual-gender bathrooms, other countries primarily, but US college campuses, too. I am pleased to find a toilet that flushes.

Michael Keith Blankenship

When I went back to Germany in 2014, I expected there to be a lot of these shared toilets, but did not see any. Since then, it appears they are following our lead in some of the big cities. Cultural imperialism,I suppose.

Michael Keith Blankenship

Apparently Curtis has two children. This would seem inconsistent with being born intersex.

Mac Swinford

They are both adopted. This I know for fact.

Michael Keith Blankenship

That does make a difference. I also just found out she is married to nobility. Having not been much of a fan, I had little knowledge of her.

Agreed with Snopes, stipulte to their take on it. My assertion is based on personal experience, but chromosomal analysis is definitive.

But then again, it makes no difference to me at all. That it is so very difficult to tell is the point that negates the claim that we should draw distinctions between them.

AmyH

No

Mac Swinford

One-and-a-half to two percent of all births. Jamie Lee’s name and her appearance are clues — the parents assigned an ambiguous double name before they made the surgical decision. Read up on it.

Michael Keith Blankenship

The Wikipedia article says it is an unsubstantiated rumor. Is there a better source? If so, I would happily take a look at it.

AmyH

That is an unsubstantiated number not based on scientific studies and exceeds known rate of incidence for any sex-related birth defects by an order of magnitude (at least).

Mac Swinford

Unsubstantiated? I offer a world expert on the topic and you call it unsubstantiated? What do you want, a thousand autopsies? You who compares intersex with child molestation and mental illness. For shame. Really. For shame.

AmyH

I never compared intersex to molestation or mental illness. That was ALL you in your attempt to turn a conversation. You can act as faux outraged as you want but you are flat out lying when you make claims about what I said.

And your expert is not backed by any studies or known incidences of birth defects.

AmyH

No… as with all thing, the tantruming is on your side Mac. Having a legitimate birth defect is not the same thing as having a mental illness. I know nothing about Jamie Lee Curtis but would assume she would fall into the former category which as I already said is exceedingly rare. The olympian formerly known as Bruce Jenner, OTOH, is representative of the relatively larger (about .5% of the population by some estimates) group of mentally ill people who are being used to make “transgenderism” a political issue.

AmyH

I looked that up since you are making a claim… that is an unsubstantiated rumor with no basis.

Mac Swinford

“No basis”? Have you met JLC? Interacted with JLC personally? Until there is chromosomal analysis, we’ll need to go on the facts as we perceive them, I’ve drawn my judgment as best I can.

As regards your taunts, I submit extensive discourse with Michael Keith Blankenship as proof we engage in fine intelligent conversation, else his behavior somehow does not match his words. I find him intelligent and articulate and the results speak for themselves, on display for all to see. Do we agree on everything? Of course not, but we are exceedingly civil at all times.

You? No permit until court compelled one? Olympics gender-assignment based on athlete’s word? Etc, etc. When you use a word, you mean what you mean it to mean (and that changes as facts appear)? Did you object to Monkey Trial or Salt for posting their first day here as you did Kane or me?

I am extremely civil. Almost its definition, I assert. You? Not so much.

AmyH

You do not get to claim that people are something and then insist you are right until they prove you wrong. Jamie Lee Curtis has NEVER claimed she was intersex. Spreading rumors about her is wrong.

Mac Swinford

There is no proof either way until there is chromosomal analysis. My assertions are based on personal experience. Yours?

AmyH

And if I claimed that you were a child molester and demanded that you prove that you were not, would you think that was just as a-ok?

No it would not be. Spreading rumors about people is not just “your opinion” and you have no basis to claim that JLC is intersex.

To me, there is no distinction drawn that is either negative or positive. It is merely a descriptive characteristic that bears in no way on character.

You are the one drawing these ridiculous distinctions, even calling it “mental illness” and comparing it with child molestation.

And you have the gall to declare me a sinner? Shame on you. Shame is what you deserve for these comments.

AmyH

You are claiming that someone falls into a category that she has never claimed to. You are wrong to do that. Full stop. I very clearly NEVER called people with birth defects mentally ill… that is all your false conflation.

Kinda childish Mac and, just like with JLC, you have no basis to claim anything about Ann Coulter because of the appearance of her throat.

Mac Swinford

Sure. Clear evidence of a largeAdam’s Apple is to you, AmyH, meaningless. Got it. Noted. Thank you for your opinion.

Mac Swinford

According to Dr. Anne Fausto-Sterling, a recognized expert in this field of study, 1-1/2 to 2 percent of all births do not fall strictly within the tight definition of all-male or all-female, even if the child looks “normal.” In reaching her numbers, Dr. Fausto-Sterling is counting all incidents of intersexuality, from mild to extreme. The incidence of children with mixed genitalia is pegged at 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 3,000, or 0.033 to 0.05 percent of all births.

Michael Keith Blankenship

So a very small number of people with Klinefelter’s, Turner’s etc. We have a Turner’s lady at our church. She is a very nice person.

AmyH

Those numbers are not substantiated by any scientific studies and are an order of magnitude or more larger than any observed rate of instances for known sex related birth defects.

Mac Swinford

“According to Dr. Anne Fausto-Sterling, a recognized expert in this field of study”

vs

AmyH

AmyH

You keep posting things that are flat out misrepresented or scurrilous rumor. If you told me the sky was blue, I would go check. Your “expert” is claiming numbers that do not in anyway match reality.

Mac Swinford

Not my expert. Never met her. Again, you make things up. If you write it, I know it is false and it always proves to be just that.

AmyH

“Your expert” as in the person you claim as having expertise. That is the normally understood meaning of that phrase.

Mac Swinford

Not my claim of expertise. I turn to published works.

“Dr. Anne Fausto-Sterling received her Bachelor of Arts degree in zoology from University of Wisconsin in 1965 and her Ph.D. in developmental genetics from Brown University in 1970. She has taught at Brown since earning her Ph.D. and is the Nancy Duke Lewis Professor of Biology and Gender Studies in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry there.She has written two books intended for the general audience.”

Dr. Anne Fausto-Sterling vs. AmyH!

AmyH

There is a reason that “appeal to authority” is a logical fallacy.

Her degrees do not mean she is right in her claims and the fact that known incidences of birth defects do not back her claims makes them suspect. As I said your expert (as in the person you are claiming to have expertise) is claiming statistics that are at least an order of magnitude more than any known numbers.

Mac Swinford

It is not a logical fallacy. It is probative of the truth, as are your numerous falsehoods over a period of time. Her credentials compared to your reaches and stretches is no competition at all. Indeed, you claim intersex a mental illness comparable with child molestation. I’m going with the good Dr. and General Mattis.

You are a liar. This: “Indeed, you claim intersex a mental illness comparable with child molestation.” is a lie.

Mac Swinford

I am blocking you. You are an irrational, insecure liar of the worst kind.

AmyH

No, Br’er Fox… Don’t throw me into THAT briar patch.

Michael Keith Blankenship

I oppose penises in the locker rooms being used by my wife and daughters, as well as in the rest rooms.

Hot Air

Hopefully Democrats will stay on this issue of transgender bathrooms, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

So … you’re living in North Carolina working your ass off, trying to save for retirement, taking care of your wife and kids, worrying about the fact your health care doubled in price, skipping the vacation this year because money is tight … and ESPN, CNN, Democrats, and the NCAA conspire to cancel the sports tournaments in the state because of transgender bathrooms.

Yep, Democrats, please keep pushing that … PLEASE.

Republicans should give Democrats money so they can run ads about transgender bathrooms.

Goengo

So, your principles are determined by whether or not there is pushback from democrats, and if so, how much?

That’s an interesting way to determine where you stand on an issue.

Michael Keith Blankenship

This is another good article from Mr. Giere. I am trying to think of anything that has been accomplished by the legislative branch since the Orange Avenger took office, except to confirm Trump’s choice of Gorsuch for SCOTUS. I don’t know if it is fear, lack of a feeling of accountability to their constituencies, or some other possibility. What is clear is that the current “leadership” are not perceived as leading by many Republicans outside the District.

Mac Swinford

Or you could say, in the alternative, that while they may be “leading” the followers are not following. Whether it is a failure of leadership, or a failure to follow, the division and lack of unity are the same result, and it has the same cost: lost elections, failure to govern, a party at war.

Division costs focus. While we discuss everything other than taxes, health care and other bread and butter issues, we abdicate the very purpose for which voters sent elected officials to office: Jobs and money.

sd

so funny – you are sticking with Trump – hilarious

John Massoud

Well said

Fist Rockbone

Amen Brother! Now THAT’s a sermon! I’m done enabling the GOP, as it stands today, and under its current leadership. I am sick of the “we need to cross party lines” bit. The PEOPLE gave the GOP the power it asked for, and they’ve done NOTHING we elected them to do. We still have Obamacare. We still have the government trying to do things it lacks the acumen and the authority to do. Worst of all, the GOP is actively opposing the President who we elected to “build the wall”, “get rid of bad trade deals, negotiate better ones”, “Make our enemies fear us and our friends trust and respect us”, in short, “Make America Great Again”. I have no use for Ryan and McConnell, and nothing but disdain for Comstock.

T Kane

That’s the spirit! Stay home on election day, or better yet find — if you can — a candidate from Warmac’s American Party. Either way, let your divisive hatred surge! It’s the TBE way, right? Principle over party, ideas over action, cheap talk over results. Somehow, you think this will work for you, right?

ameri…canwork

NO,
Vote for who you desire.
Voice you concerns to you Senator and Delegate.
Now voice those same concerns to the opposition that does not have someone in office.
If you have a Republican Senator and don’t get the heartfelt response you expect
make and appointment with the neighboring Democrat Senator.
You have an issue talk with women first ( men are bull headed I know I am one).
You have to citizen lobby with fact commonsense and compassion.
I never talk with someone about illegal immigrants , I speak of ; labor exploitatation and the many forms of fraud used to employ illegally.
Read Shapiro ‘ s piece; I want my Conservative Va back.
He knows that when Conservative voters did not get what they wanted they went on to work with “the other side” ( as he put it) to obtain the goals.
The elected Americans ( both R&D) that don’t want to work must be treated NO LESS than Michael Vicks’ dogs fighting on a cage.
What political party is loyal to it’s voters? Niether.
Be loyal to your family , Community and the law.

Michael Keith Blankenship

Unless they accomplish what we send them to do, our “representatives” do not truly represent us.

Mac Swinford

I believe they can represent us despite failure. When on those rare occasions you do not achieve your clients’ goals do you agree that you did not “truly represent” them? Waive the fee? Of course not.

Michael Keith Blankenship

Conceded. I suppose i see Pubs in Congress as the equivalent of the prosecutor on Perry Mason. How does that guy keep getting re-elected?

Chad Davis

Here is a clear test for any elected Republican. If you find yourself agreeing with Obama more than Trump; or would prefer a third Obama term to Trump’s first term, then you probably would be happier as a Democrat, third party, or unaffiliated.

Warmac9999

That ought to be obvious.

Chad Davis

I thought so too until Trump won the nomination.

mark Jawsz

Good article, Don Miguel. You describe the symptoms but not the disease – the Super Rich who control both parties. As I wrote last week, the two parties are there to give us the ILLUSION of choice, but as George Carlin said years ago, “We have no choice. We have Owners. They own us.” Due to just the right circumstances, Donald Trump was fortunate enough to squeak in and take the presidency. The Owners want it back and the are using their GOP puppets to take it back.

Michael Keith Blankenship

I think that if one consistently fails to achieve legislative success, constituents are bound to be frustrated, and even angry. It is not a complicated problem. Many Republican voters see the “Trump Era” as a chance to actually get some things accomplished. If little is done, then they will not take it well. The legislative branch is perceived to be blocking things like the repeal of Obamacare. This is why they draw the ire of Trumpers and many other Republicans.